I can't sleep
by PaleCloud
Summary: The beta kids can't sleep. Rose can't sleep at night because her mom is up with her boyfriend. John can't sleep because his dad is arguing with John's Stepmother. Dave can't sleep because he's afraid of the dark and his bro isn't there to protect him. And Jade is, well, Jade is sleeping. Rated T because of slight suggestion about Rose's mom and her boyfriend's late night activities
1. Chapter 1

A young girl sits up in her bed. It is 3 in the morning, and she is alone. Although it was 8 years ago she was given life, it is only today she will make a friend.

Her name is ROSE LALONDE. As previously mentioned, it is 3 in the morning, and the shaking ceiling and the muffled moans of the two adults in the room above her haven't stopped yet, she probably isn't going to get anymore sleep for the next few hours. A number of stuffed animals and bookshelves adorn her room. Has a variety of interest including playing the violin, reading, writing, and playing video games by herself because she has no friends.

At the end of her bed is a black cat, who has been alerted to her awakening and has come to say good morning to its owner.

She looks out her window. She has a large yard, and can see a huge laboratory in the distance. She does not know what goes on there, perhaps her mom knows. However, the moans indicated that she wasn't getting an answer anytime soon.

Maybe she could find some enjoyment in one of her video games, so she went over to her computer. Upon opening her laptop she saw she had a notification from a chat room she never used called PESTERCHUM.

\- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering tentacleTherapist [TT] at 3:14 -

EB: are you online?

TT: Yes.

EB: oh, good.

TT: Who are you?

EB: oh, my name's john.

TT: John...?

EB: uh, john egbert.

TT: You have an interesting name John Egbert. What do you need?

EB: aren't you going to tell me you're name?

TT: Oh, yes. I apologize, I'm not all that good with people.

TT: My name is Rose Lalonde.

EB: well, nice to meet you rose.

TT: Pleasure.

TT: Now please, Mr. Egbert, what is it that you need?

EB: mr. egbert? please, just call me john.

TT: What do you need, John?

EB: oh, i'm sorry if i'm bothering you i just need someone to talk to.

TT: About?

EB: my parents.

The moans above Rose's head continued. One of the voices belonged to her mother, however the "Mike" who's name she had heard repeatedly so far that night meant just as much as the "Chase", "Kevin", and "Joe" who's names she had heard on various night in the past month. Quite frankly she was tired of it, she needed someone to talk to as well.

EB: rose, are you there?

TT: Yes.

EB: so, can i talk to you about my parents?

TT: As long as I can talk to you about my mother.

EB: deal.

TT: Then fire away.


	2. Chapter 2

A young boy sits at his computer. It is nearly 3:30 in the morning. Although, it was over 7 and a half years ago he was given life, he still count the half years as part of his age. No, but seriously, although it was 7 and a hlf years ago he was given life, it is tonight that he finally found someone he could talk to.

As previously mentioned it is 3:30 in the morning. John is very tired, but his parents won't stop arguing in the room next to him. They had started the argument 4 hours ago downstairs in the kitchen, and somehow had made its way into his parents bedroom. John had heard the entire argument up until an hour ago, when he zoned it out, aside from the occasional bangs that were no doubt his mother throwing useless objects to calm her temper

John has a variety of interests including playing pranks, watching cheesy movies, and playing video games. John has no friends, or at least he didn't until a few minutes ago. However, he is still not sure if they are friends. After all, he has never had a friend, and is not exactly sure how these things work. His train of thought was interrupted by the notification on his computer from Persterchum, reminding him he was actually doing something before he got lost in thought.

\- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering tentacleTherapist [TT] at 3:14 -

...

TT: Are you alive?

EB: oh, yes, sorry.

EB: got lost in thought.

TT: Do you do that often?

EB: maybe, but if i do i don't notice it.

TT: Understandably,

TT: That typically happens when one zone's out.

EB: I assume you zone out too then.

TT: ...

TT: I assume we are desperately off topic.

TT: What was it about you're parent's that you wanted to tell me about?

EB: Oh, yeah.

EB: well, they're fighting.

TT: Parent's tend to do that.

EB: yeah, but, they're in the next room over.

TT: That explains why you're up at this hour.

EB: hey! you are too.

TT: we aren't talking about me.

EB: well, now we are.

TT: Fine.

EB: so what about you're mom did you wanna talk about.

TT: She has a guy over and they're, causing the ceiling to shake, and making noise.

TT: It's keeping me awake.

EB: are they jumping on the bed?

TT: What?

EB: is that why the ceiling's shaking?

TT: ...

TT: How old are you?

EB: 7 and a half.

TT: Oh boy.

TT: Uh, yes, they are, indeed, jumping on the bed.

EB: what about you?

TT: Excuse me?

EB: how old are you?

TT: Oh.

TT: I'm 8.

EB: we're about the same age!

TT: Yes, I can tell.

EB: thats cool!

EB: i thought you were way older.

TT: Really?

EB: i thought you were, like, 20.

TT: Well, um, thank you.

TT: I thought you were 14.

EB: i wish!

EB: being 7 and a half sucks.

A loud bang came from the next room, and John heard a door slam, and angry footsteps coming down the hall.

EB: gtg

\- ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering tentacleTherapist [TT] at 3:48 -

He and dove under his covers, just in time for his dad to open the door to check on him.

"See, Kim, he didn't hear anything."

"Wish I was him."

His mothers angry footsteps led back into the room next door, followed by the heavy slam of the door.

His dad came into his room and sat on Johns bed, facing away from him. He placed a hand on john's shoulder.

"I know you're awake, buddy."

John lied still.

"You don't have to stay anything, but you know that I love you son, and your mom loves you, okay? Everything's gonna be just fine."

His father then got up and left the room, walking with heavy steps down the stair case to the living room.

The pesterchum notification rang again.

\- tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 3:56 -

TT: Well, then. Goodbye. Maybe we could talk tomorrow.

\- tentacleTherapist [TT] ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 3:57 -


	3. Chapter 3

Rose sits up in her bed once again. However, unlike earlier, it is now morning, or more accurately, noon. Like before, she is alone, but this time out of choice. She can hear her mother vacuuming downstairs. If Rose wanted to, she could go downstairs to spend time with her mother. The problem is she didn't want to, not after last night.

Her cat once again has noticed her awakening, meows a hello, and jumps over to Rose's computer desk and falls asleep next to her laptop.

Her laptop! She had almost forgotten about her conversation last night with John. He had left the chat very abruptly, she should check of him.

She crawled out of bed and was immediately met by a rush of cold air. She crawled back under her covers. It was always cold where she lived, she should be used to it by now, but she isn't. She now was really worried about john, but the cold of her room was confining her to her bed. Even if she carried her blanket to the chair with her, her feet would be cold. However, she could build a blanket fort on her bed, she just had to get her computer. She wrapped her blanket around her neck like a cape and held it close with her hands. Then she quickly jumped off her bed in her blanket cocoon and ran to her desk to grab her laptop, then ran back and jumped on her bed with a flourish of her blanket cape.

Just because no one could see her didn't mean she couldn't be *FABULOUS*

After readjusting her cocoon and warming her feet she powered up her computer. She could hear her mother coming up the stairs and she sighed, getting up in her blanket cocoon to open the door. Her mother stood outside her door looking slightly surprised at her daughter. Rose looked at her mother, who was holding a breakfast platter with egg eyes, bacon mouth, and a glass of orange juice, "Good Morning."

Her mother smiled, "Oh good morning, Rosie. I made you breakfast."

"I can see," rose accepted the tray from her mother, then turned to go back in her room while inwordly cringing at her mother's nickname for her. "Thank you."

Her mother stopped her from closing the door, but hesitated, trying to think of a topic to talk to her daughter about. "How did you sleep?"

Rose turned around, eyeing her mother, who obviously didn't realize she hit a nerve, "I was up until 4 AM, just like you."

Her mothers face contorted from worry to anger then to sadness in response to her daughter's comment and bitter tone as the door was slammed in her face.

She jiggled the doorknob, but rose had locked it already. "Rose! Open this door right now!"

Rose was now on her bed in her blanket cocoon ignoring her mother's attempts to get in her room. She opened her computer to see that John had messaged her.

\- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering tentacleTherapist [TT] at 12:08 -

EB: hey!

EB: you're online.

EB: ...

EB: hello?

TT: Hello.

EB: oh, hey.

EB: where were you?

TT: Dealing with my mother.

TT: Who is currently trying to get in my room.

EB: why? is something wrong?

TT: No.

EB: oh.

EB: if your sure...

TT: What happened last night?

EB: ?

TT: You left abruptly.

EB: well I wouldn't say abruptly.

TT: I would.

EB: well, my dad came in my room.

TT: Ah.

TT: How did that go?

EB: i pretended to be asleep but he knew i was awake.

TT: It seems our parents are opposites.

EB: how so?

TT: My mother thought I was asleep last night.

EB: is that why shes trying to get into your room?

TT: Well now she's downstairs sobbing into a martini glass.

EB: don't you think you should...

EB: you know...

EB: talk to her?

TT: No.

EB: oh.

EB: are you sure?

TT: Yes.

TT: I don't want to upset her more.

EB: no offense,

EB: but i don't think you can.

EB: go talk to her.

TT: You have a point.

TT: I'll go apologize.

TT: brb

\- tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 12:17 -


	4. Chapter 4

Roxy Lalonde sits alone on her couch, crying into her glass of wine, although it was 8 years ago her daughter was given life, it is only today she had her first argument with her. She knew her and Rose weren't on good terms, but she didn't realize they were this bad. Was it the drinking? Was it the men? Was it both? Was it neither? How long had this been going on? For the first time in a long time you thought about Jane, she would know what to do. Janey was a good mother even if the timey whimey things messed everything up. Roxy thought about what Jane would tell her, but the wine was starting to cloud her thoughts. She wished Jane was alive, her death hit Roxy hard as she died when Rose was a baby. Roxy had no help, and a drunk raising a young girl isn't easy for either party involved. Roxy glanced at her phone. She wondered that maybe, just maybe, he would be able to help. With another sip of wine she sat her glass down on the coffee table next to her and picked up her phone, opening a chat room she hadn't used in years.

tipsyGnostalgic [TG] began pestering timaeusTestified [TT] at 11:07

TG: hey dork

TG: *dirk

TT: Roxy?

TG: haha

TG: yeeeea

TG: sorry its been like

TG: forever

TG: since we last talkd :(

TG: just

TG: rosie ya know

TG: parenting taks time

TT: Yeah. I know.

TT: Speaking of which, I would've thought you'd quit drinking now that you've got her to take care of.

TG: i tried :/

TG: dodnt last long

TG: *didnt

TG: how the davester?

TT: Dave?

TG: yeaa

TG: that is his name roght

TT: Yes. It is.

TT: To be honest I don't know.

TT: He seems to avoid me even when I'm home.

TG: wat

TG: do u mean

TG: when ur home?

TT: Work.

TT: I haven't been able to be home much.

TG: ...

TG: dirk

TT: What?

TG: dirk

TT: What?

TG: diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrk

TT: What, Roxy?

TG: ur all lik

TG: stop drinkn blah blah you need 2 take care of rosie

TG: and u arnt even home to take care of dave

TG: hes

TG: like

TG: 8

TG: who is rasing him?

TG: th smuppets?

TG: btw those things are weird

TT: ...

TT: Fair point.

TG: do you even no his fav clor?

TG: *color

TT: Red.

TG: how do u no

TG: have u asked him

TT: No.

TT: Most of the stuff he owns is red.

TG: faceplam

TG: when ws the last time u had a convrstation with him?

TG: *conversarion

TG: *conversution

TG: i give up

TT: I don't know.

TG: diiiiiiiiiirk

TT: What?

TG: im supposed to be asking you fpr advice

TG: nd i find out tht ur a shoddier parent thn me.

TG: life

TG: *like

TG: thts not cool

TG: our kids are suffrng 4 it

TT: Wait.

TT: Why were you going to ask me for advice?

TG: rosies mad at me

TG: lcked me out of her room.

TT: Why?

TG: ive been keeping her up at nght

TG: with my

TG: bfs

TT: Really, Roxy?

TT: Really?

TG: oh shddup i didnt no she could hear

TT: God, Roxy, you probably have been traumatizing her.

TG: its btter thn leaving an 8 yr old alone in a house mosr th time

TT: Are we really going to argue over who's the worse gaurdian.

TG: ...

TG: yes?

TT: No, Roxy, go talk to Rose.

TT: I have to check on Dave.

TG: good idea

TG: byyee

TT: bye

timaeusTestified [TT] ceased pestering tipsyGnostalgic [TG] at 11:38

Roxy set down her phone next to her glass of wine, and walks upstairs. Just as she's about to knock, rose unlocks and opens the door. The two stared at each other for a minute and then Roxy started crying.

"I'msosorryRosie," her words were slurred but Rose understood. Rose stood awkwardly watching her mother cry, and then hugged her.

"I'm sorry too, Mom," her voice was very quiet as she was starting to tear up as well. Roxy started crying more and collapsed to the ground, clinging to her

daughter. Rose sat down with her and started to sob silently.

"Iwillneverbring another man inthis house now that Iknowitbothersyousomuch."

"You don't have to do that, I still want you to be happy."

Roxy held up her daughter's face and looked her in the eyes, "You makeme happy, notsome random guy."

Rose smiled and the sat there in Rose's doorway for the next hour or so, occasionally crying, occasionally talking, but mostly just being there. It was the first time in 8 years they had enjoyed each other's company, and Rose, who woke up wanting to be anywhere but in that house, didn't want to be anywhere else. Likewise, Roxy, who woke up in her bed alone, now felt more loved than she had in her entire life. 


End file.
